Chapter 13: EllieJulio, perhaps surnamed Hu, perhaps not. In this world where the Crimson Moon roams, the history of human development has fractured across more than one era, and mixed heritage and coexistence are the norm.For the indigenous humans, history knows no distinction between East and West. Whether ancient European, Japanese-inspired, or the mysterious East, all are cultural and spiritual legacies left by their ancestors.Perhaps only someone like Shan Xiaoxi, carrying memories of a past life, would fret over Eastern and Western styles and their blending.Julio hailed from a down-and-out family in the Third Ring. Shirking responsibility was his usual state. Relying on his handsome face and silver tongue, living off women became his survival strategy after coming of age.Over the years, Julio’s reputation in his circles had rotted completely. But aside from pleasing women, he had no other skills, so he set his sights on the Fourth Ring.Separated from the Third Ring by an abyss, the Fourth Ring was a new world. The people here didn’t know his background; as long as he flashed his Third Ring residence permit, they would worship him.What delighted Julio even more was that here, he didn’t need to deliberately please women—they would, in turn, cradle him in their palms.Julio knew what they wanted: they wanted him to take them to the Third Ring. That was impossible; Julio had no such ability. Of course, he wouldn’t tell the women that.Take Ellie from Night Rose, for example. Julio had never spent a single coin on her. Instead, Ellie employed every trick to keep him overnight, serving him fine food and drink.Outwardly, it was said Julio kept Ellie, but in reality, Ellie was keeping Julio.This state lasted for a month. Julio felt it was time to give Ellie a little reward, so he bought a knockoff handbag at the Third Ring’s counterfeit market.Like most ordinary people, Julio’s understanding of the difference between knockoffs and genuine goods was limited to price. Style and quality looked the same to him.It never crossed his mind that a club girl from the Fourth Ring could distinguish the authenticity of luxury goods.What chance did these lower-class people have to interact with high society?Yet reality slapped him in the face.When he handed the handbag to Ellie, boasting about how valuable and prestigious this brand’s luxury item was, Ellie’s expression gradually shifted from delight to anger.Julio had underestimated the people of the Fourth Ring. In fact, Ellie had not only seen luxury goods from the Third Ring but had also received gifts from the same brand.Night Rose was the most famous club in the Fourth Ring. As its top girl, Ellie and others like her needed to learn many things, and identifying counterfeit luxury goods was one of them.Julio had casually bought the cheapest knockoff at the counterfeit market, not even bothering to check if the item had any flaws.Ellie merely inspected a few key points and discovered the handbag was fake—so poorly made it couldn’t even be called a quality imitation.At Night Rose, Ellie’s persona was that of a haughty doll, but that didn’t mean she was truly naive.Her persona attracted many clients with particular tastes, leading her to frequently endure excessive treatment from them. Over time, her personality grew overly mature and twisted. She had already realized she was breaking down and was desperate to escape her current situation.Anyone would do, as long as they could take her away from here.She had not been without suspicion of Julio, but Julio's Third Ring residence permit was not fake. If Julio could take her to the Third Ring, she wouldn't mind being used by him, but Julio had tried to deceive her with counterfeit goods.Ellie's anger wasn't because Julio was stingy, but because of his perfunctory attitude.Ellie couldn't control her temper, crying and screaming hysterically, threatening to kick Julio out. After a moment of frustration, Julio swore and vowed to placate Ellie. He wasn't ready to leave Ellie's comfortable nest just yet.Julio shifted the blame to the salesperson, shouting that he had been deceived by the clerk, claiming the goods must have been swapped, and so on. In short, Julio had paid for a genuine product but received a fake.Julio took the bag back, declaring he would return to the Third Ring to seek justice from the store.The commotion between the two was so loud it even spilled into the hallway, drawing quite a crowd.The maid's report ended here. Shan Xiaoxi thought this was just an insignificant episode, merely another daily story from the Night Rose.Selena accepted the painting "Selena Across the River." Selena was nearly ready to begin her nighttime preparations, and after Shan Xiaoxi taught her how to draw willow-leaf eyebrows, it was time to leave.Julio, holding the fake bag and claiming he would return to the Third Ring to settle the score with the seller, ran from the building to the small garden downstairs, where Ellie, afraid he might never return, stopped him.The two, who had been arguing just moments before, clung to each other affectionately, whispering sweet nothings.Ellie seemed to believe Julio's excuse, joining him in cursing the seller. Julio, in turn, vowed to make it up to Ellie with the best gift. As for what the gift actually was, he didn't say—verbal promises are the easiest to make.Both were so moved they couldn't stop kissing and comforting each other.Anyone who saw them would have to say they were an inseparable, perfect pair.Shan Xiaoxi descended the stairs to head toward the side door, passing through the small garden as an unavoidable route, and thus, unsurprisingly, witnessed this scene.As she walked along the path leading to the side door, she happened to see Ellie and Julio embracing, leaning against each other's shoulders.Shan Xiaoxi inwardly exclaimed how nauseating it was, wanting only to lower her head and hurry past, but then she saw Julio, facing her direction, suddenly wink at her.What did that mean? Flirting? This man, holding a woman in his arms, winking at another woman he didn't even know? Was this some flirtatious fox from the Third Ring?Shan Xiaoxi couldn't help but roll her eyes in return, thinking to herself how utterly disgusting it was.Walking briskly without pausing, as if she hadn't seen Julio's glance, Shan Xiaoxi couldn't resist looking back after she had passed them.From this angle, she now saw Julio's back, and Ellie was the one facing Shan Xiaoxi.Like Julio, Ellie's eyes were open, but unlike him, the emotions in her gaze toward Shan Xiaoxi were far more complex.Shan Xiaoxi felt an inexplicable chill.Both Ellie and Julio were abnormal; they were the kind of strange people Shan Xiaoxi couldn't understand.As fellow top courtesans, compared to Ellie, Selena was truly much easier to get along with. Thankfully, it was Selena, not Ellie, who could take her to the Third Ring.Hoping to never have any dealings with Ellie in the future, Shan Xiaoxi silently made a wish in her heart.However, things often don't go as planned. In the days to come, Shan Xiaoxi would have many more dealings with Ellie. Moreover, Ellie would bring her a major trouble. Of course, all these events would occur later, and for now, Shan Xiaoxi had no need to worry about them.Having fulfilled Vincent's final wish, Shan Xiaoxi now focused on preparing for her journey to the Third Ring.

The Fashion Rookie and The Mysterious Gentleman